Granulating and cutting machine



.Au g. 7, 1945. 11M. RODDY GRANULATING AND CUTTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l FRED M. R000 r INVENTOR is ATTORNEY F. M. RODDY GRANULATING AND CUTTING MACHINE Aug. 7, 1945;

Filed Jan. 7, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FRED M. R000 V INVENTOR g: ATTORNEY.

Aug. 7, 1945. F. M. RODDY 2,381,775 I GRANULATING AND CUTTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FRED MRODD) INVENTOR Patented Aug. 7, 1945 GRANULATING AND cu'r'rmo mom rue M. Roddy, Providence, R. I. Application January '1, 1942, Serial No. 425,923

12 Claims.

This invention relates to granulating and cut ting machines and, in particular, to a rotary cutting machine especially adapted for processing plastics, for example, scraps oi-thermoplastic materials, to chop and out such material into chopped bodies of predetermined degree of fineness. 1

rately machined and scraped whereby an accurate fit is obtained so that no powdered plastic material or dust from the cutting operation can In my co-pending application, Serial N 425,922 filed January 7, 1942, entitled Rotary cutting and granulating machines,,' which became Patent No. 2,326,682 on August 10, 1943, I have described and claimed a rotary cutting machine especially designed for cutting plastics, for example scraps of thermoplastic materials, to reduce them to predetermined degrees of fineness. It is a characteristic of the structure oi the machine forming the subject matter of this co-pending application that the rotary knives and the casing within which they rotate both overhang one end of the bearing support for the rotor shaft.

In this prior machine the end casing is in two parts, and the overhanging arrangement is provided for the purpose of making it easier for the workman to remove the lower half of the end cas-.

ing without having to lift and support the weight of this lower end casing while dismantling the machine for cleaning.

In accordance with the present invention, the cutting machine is of'larger size than the machine of my co-pending application just described, and the knife carrying rotor is supported with bearings at each end with the rotary knives carried by the intermediate portion of the rotor. This machine also has an overhung relationship with respect to the base and discharges the material forward of the base. As will later be pointed out, however, there is a distinction in the purpose of :the overhanging arrangement as compared with the machine of my above-mentioned co-pending application.

In this machine there are two adjustable stationary knives carried by blocks which are removably mounted in deep recesses in the lower casing element of the two part casing surrounding the rotary knives so that upon removal of the blocks with the stationary knives aflixed thereto the cutting chamber is rendered readily accessible for cleaning. These stationary knives are arranged in the lower half of the end casing at substantially diametrically "opposite positions on the cutting circle of the rotary cutting means and these stationary knives are carried by blocks which arefixed in appropriate recesses in the opposite side walls of the lower casing element; and the surfaces of these knife beds are accuenter and lodge beneath the knives. The knife carrying blocks also are dowelled to the lower casing element when in place thereon and thus are accurately located in their recesses.

A closure ring is carried by the rotor at each end of the, casing between the terminal ends of the rotor knives and the bearings for the rotor. The upper and lower halves of the casings and the removable blocks carrying the stationary knives are securely bolted together and dowelled, andthe machine casing bored accurately at its opposite ends so as to give a small clearance between these bored holes and the closure rings that are positioned therein so that both the dust leaking outwardly from the cutting chamber around the closure ring and anylubricant that may leak from the anti-friction bearings supporting the 'rotor will be thrown off into space exteriorly of the machine by centrifugal force upon impinging the outer periphery of the closure rings. A screen is removably mounted upon the lower half of the casing and may be readily lifted out after removal of the blocks carrying the stationary knives after the upper casing element or cover has been taken oil.

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a granulating and cutting machine capable of attaining the aforementioned desirable advantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for cutting plastics having a more rugged and rigid construction than has heretofore been employed on machines of this type and therefore less apt to be injured by rough usage.

Another, object of the invention is to provide an overhung arrangement in a machine of this type of construction which will eliminate the use of supports or piers as has, characterized previous constructions of machines of this class and has made the installation of such prior machines.

more costly and also did not permit the shipping of such machines assembled as single units.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine of this type in which the material after' being processed will be discharged at a point well forward of the base.

Another object oithe invention is to providea machine of this class in which the adjustable stationary knives are attached .to removable filler blocks having substantial thickness, such filler blocks with knives attachedthereto being lifted out bodily from the lower casing member to leave deep openings in order to provide greater accessibility to the cutting chamber when cleaning the machine.

Another object of the invention is the integral construction of the lower part of the machine casing and the end housings for the rotor bear- With these and other objects in view as will be apparent in the following specification the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several part as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings:.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a motordriven rotary cutting machine embodying my invention; 7

Fig. 2 is an end view of the cutting machine shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from the right;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the rotary cutter unit of the cutting machine shown in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the rotary cutter unit shown in Fig. 1 with the upper casing member or cover removed;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the knife carrying blocks with the stationary knife removed;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the other knife carrying block with its stationary knife removed;

Fig. 8 is an exploded end view of the cutter shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a base l carries an enlarged upper table member II which projects outwardly for a considerable distance beyond one end of the base and presents the overhanging outward extension I2. Mountedat one end portion of this upper table member so as to be partially supported by the extension |2 thereof and to partially overhang the base I0 is the novel rotary cutter of the present invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral l5. Suitable driving means for the cutter l5, here shown as an electric motor is provided with a drive shaft i1, is mounted upon the other end portion of the table member The drive shaft I1 is drivingly connected through flexible coupling It with the rotor shaft IQ of the cutter H1.

The rotary cutter is is provided at its opposite ends with suitable anti-friction bearings 2| (see Fig.3) in which is journaled the rotor shaft IS. The end bearings 2| are suitably arranged in housings 22 integral with the lower casing element 3|. Mounted upon and secured to the exterior portion of the rotor shaft I9 between the coupling II and the cutter unit I is a flywheel 25 which is of suitable-size and weight for overcoming the shocks due to cutting, and for preventing excessive vibration of the machine during running.

Formed integrally with the main body portion 23 of the rotor I9 is the knife carrying part of the rotor comprising a plurality of radial rotor arms 24, here shown as five in number (see Fig. 4), upon which are mounted and secured thereto by suitable fastening devices the rotor knives 21. In the illustrated embodiment ,each of the knives 21 is secured to the rotor head by a plurality of bolts 28 which pass through suitable holes in the knives and are threaded into the associated rotor arm.

A sectional casing generally designated by the reference numeral :0 is provided within which the rotor knives 21 revolve. In the form shown in the drawings, this casing 20 is composed of the two separable half casing members 2| and 22. The upper casing 82 is mounted upon the lower casing ii and is detachably secured thereto by clamping swing bolts 23 which are pivotally mounted in external recesses between the ears 24 at opposite sides of the casing 3|. The bottom of the upper casing 32 is formed with a semicylindrical recess 36 which is concentric with the circular path of the rotor knives 21 and forms the upper part of the cutting chamber of the machine. Upper casing 22 is provided with an inwardly extending feeding conduit 38 ofiset laterally to the right as viewed in Fig. 4 from a vertical plane of the axis of rotation of the rotor 19 and the lower end of the conduit 26 opens into the recess 35.

Communicating with the upper end of the feeding conduit 38 and removably fastened to the upper end of the upper casing member 32 by r clamping swing bolts 31 which are pivotally mounted in suitable external recesses between the ears 38 at the opposite sides of the upper casing 32 is a feed hopper 40 of any suitable construction.

At the opposite ends of the casings 3| and 32 between each anti-friction bearings 2| and the proximate ends of the rotor knives 21, a closure ring 4| is provided on the rotor shaft and clearance in the form of an open space is provided around the periphery of each closure ring 4| so that both the dust leaking from the cutting chamber and any lubricant that may leak from the anti-friction bearings 2| will be thrown off into space by the action of centrifugal force when it reaches the outer periphery of the seal ring and thus cannot work into the cutting chamber to contaminate the plastic material being cut therein.

The lower half casin member 3| carries the two beveled stationary knives 42 of substantially the same length as the rotor knives 21. The mounting of these stationary knives constitutes one of the novel features of the machine, and in the form shown the knives 42 are positioned at opposite sides of the rotor head and have the tips of their cutting edges lying in a horizontal plane containing the axis of the rotor and also disposed on the cutting circle of the rotary knives 21. As shown in Figs. 4 and 8' the stationary knives 42 are of identical construction and they are located within longitudinal recesses 44 and 45 formed in the upper edge portions of the cutter blocks 41 and 48 respectively mounted in deep cut out openings 49 in the upper part of the lower casing member 3|. Dowels 50 carried by the blocks 41 and 48 serve to accurately locate cutter blocks with their knives 42 in the cut out openings 49.

The knives 42 ar of substantially the same length as the blocks 41 and 48 and extend into the cutting chamber from diametrically opposite sides of the rotor. The knives 42 are of barlike form and they are secured in place by bolts 5| and 52 respectively whichpass through suitable ,slots formed in the knives. Bolts 53 and 54 fixedly secure the blocks 41 and 48 respectively to the lower casing element 3|. Set screws 55 are provided which prevent the knives 42 from backing away from the rotor during the cutting operation and also serve as a means for adjusting the stationary knives inward toward the rotor.

To provide for the alignment of the cutting powdered plastic material to work underneath the knives to become lodged between the knives and their supporting surfaces.

Mounted upon suitable ledges of the end walls 51 and B of the casing 3| and securely held in position clamped at its opposite ends in the undercut edges 53 respectively of the cutter blocks 41 and 48 and yet readily removable when the blocks 41 and 48 are disassembled from the easing 3|, is an arcuate bottom screen 30 of any desired'mesh. The curvature of the inner face of the screen 30 is concentric with the cutting circle of the rotor knives 21 and the screen is slightly spaced therefrom and forms the bottom of the cutting chamber of the machine. In practice, a set of interchangeable screens ill of different mesh may be employed so that the plastic material being cut will be held back in the cutting chamber until it is chopped to a desired particle size to pass through the screen.

The lower casing 3! is provided with a delivery vided to the rotor and the interior of thelower casing.

When the rotor knives 21 are removed from the rotor arms II, the rotor I! with the closure rings II and end bearings II in place may be inserted through the bearing openings in the bearing housings which openings are large enough for the rotor and the closure rings ii to pass therethrough. I

By supporting the machine so as to overhang v the base, it is found that this arrangement-permits the machine to be shipped completely assembled as a unit whereas in present types of machines having a long rotor and bearings-at each end, it has been the practice to provide separate supports or piers at each end of the machine and thus increased the cost of these prior machines as well as rendering it difflcult conduit 6| which discharges the cut and screened plastic material into a chut opening 82 beneath the casing 3| and formed in the extension I! of the table member II. An inclined baiile 63 in the chute opening serves to deflect the discharged material forward, allowing more room to insert a drum or other container under the chute opening through which the processed material issues. ,A strut 85 beneath the screen 60 extending centrally and laterally across the machine supports the mid-portion of the screen.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assume a screen 60 of the desired mesh to be in place in the lower casing 3|. The plastic material to be cut is then introduced into the hopper and passes therefrom into the cutting chamber. As soon as the plastic material is chopped to the desired particle sizes to pass through the screen 80 it is discharged through the chute opening 62 into a drum, barrel or other container. After a batch of the plastic material has been processed the interior of the cutting chamber may be made readily accessible for cleaning, removal and sharpening of the knives or insertion of a different screen 80, by unloosening and swinging aside the swing bolts 33. The upper end casing 32 and hopper 40 may be-removed together as a unit or the hopper 40 may be dismantled first by" releasing the swing bolts 31 and swinging them to one side after which the upper end casing 32 is similarly detached by unloosening the swing bolts 33 and swinging them to one side and then lifting off the upper casing 32. The bolts 53 and 54 which attach the blocks 41 and 48 to the lower casing arethen removed and the said blocks 41 and 43 with their associated knives and swing bolts lifted from the machine. The screen 30 may then be removed. The various removed parts of the machine may then be cleaned and ready accessibility is pro-..

,to place a container under the cutter to catch the processed material. While the invention has been described with particular reference to the cutting of plastics it will be understood that it is not limited to a machine for operating upon said types of mate'-. rials, as the machine is suitable for cutting, chopping, disintegrating or shredding to a predetermined fineness a wide variety of materials such as grain, rubber, leathers, bark, roots, tobacco, paper, rags, etc.

.Various modifications .will be apparent from the foregoing description to those skilled in the art. and it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cutting machine comprising a base, a two part casing the bottom member of which is fixedly secured to said base, said casing parts when in assembled position providing a cutting chamber for the material to be out, said bottom casing member being provided with deep openings in the upper part of its opposite side walls and extending lengthwise of said cutting chamber, a rotor within said casing, knives carried by said rotor and rotated thereby within said cutting chamber, knife-blocks in said openings in the lower member of said casing, means detachably securing said blocks in place in said openings, stationary knives afllxed to said blocks and extending into said cutting chamber to coact with said rotor knives, a curved bottom screen in said casing and clampingly secured in place therein by said knife-blocks, and end bearings mounted in housings integral with-the lower casing member and disposed exteriorly of said casing for rotatably supporting the opposite end portions of said rotor.

2. A cutting machine comprising a base, a cas-,

' ing fixedly secured to said base having a cutting chamber for the material to be cut, and provided with longitudinally extending openings on ,opposite sides and beneath the center of the cutting chamber, said casing extending beyond one end of said base in overhung relationship thereto, a rotor within said casing, knives carried by said rotor, knife-blocks in saidopenings in said casing, means-detachably securing said knife blocks to said casing, stationary knives carried by said blocks and adjustably secured thereto, said stationary knives extending into saidcutting chamber to coact with said rotor knives, a curved bottom screen in said casing and clampingly secured in place. therein by said knife-blocks, end bearings mounted on said casing exteriorly thereof for supporting the opposite end' portions of said rotor, and closure rings on said rotor at the ends of said rotor knives and said rotor bearings, the arrangement of said closure rings being such that there is provided between their peripheries andthe portion of the casing adjacent thereto annular end openings'through which dust from the material that is being disintegrated in the cutting chamber can pass and be thown exteriorly of the machine after impact with said rings.

3. A cutting machine comprising a base, a casing fixedly secured to said base having enlarged aligned end bores and a cutting chamber for the material to be out, said casing extending beyond one end of said base in overhung relationship thereto, a rotor within said casing, the opposite of said rotor, and closure rings on said rotor and located in said end bores of said casing, the outer periphery of each of said closure rings being spaced sufilciently from the contiguous face of the associated end bore to provide an open space around the closure ring so that dust from the cutting chamber and lubricant leaking from the end bearings will be thrown exteriorly of the machine upon impingement with said rotary clo-,

sure rings.

4. A cutting machine comprising a rotor, knives carried by the rotor intermediate of its ends, a casing surrounding said rotor knives, bearings at opposite ends of said casing supporting said rotor, a base, said casing being mounted upon said base in partially overhanging relationship with respect to one end thereof, the said casing comprising a lower half casing section and a cover half section providing a cutting chamber about said rotor knives, knife blocks mounted in deep openings formed in the upper part of opposite side walls of said lower half casing section, stationary knives afiixed to said blocks extending into said cutting chamber to coact with said rotor knives, a curved bottom screen in said opposite ends of said casing between the terminal in said lower half casing section andclampingly secured therein by said knife-blocks, and means detachably securing said blocks in place in said openings to said casing and permitting removal of said knife-blocks out of said openings and from said casing whereby said screen can be readily removed and said cutting chamber will be rendered readily accessible to facilitate cleaning. V

-6. A cutting machinecomprising a base, a two part casing the lower member of which is fixedly secured to said base, said casing parts when in assembled position providing a cutting chamber for the material to be cut, a rotor within said casing, knives carried by said rotor, stationary knives within said casing positioned to coact with said rotor knives, bearings supporting the opposite end portions of said rotor, and bearing housings within which said bearings are accommodated, said bearing housings being spaced from the ends of said casing and integral with said lower casing and having bores of such diameter as to permit the rotor, when the knives are dismantled therefrom, to be inserted and removed through the bores of the bearing housings.

7. A rotary cutting or granulating machine comprising a casing having a cutting chamber with enlarged aligned end bores, a rotor in said chamber, end bearings for said rotor mounted on the casing outside the said end bores, knives carried by said rotor, stationary knives arranged in cooperative relation to said rotor knives, and closure rings mounted on said rotor for rotation therewith and arranged in said end bores, the outer periphery of each of said closure rings being spaced sufliciently from the contiguous face of the associated end bore to provide an open space around the closure ring through which dust from the material that is being disintegrated in the cutting chamber and any lubricant that lower half casing section and clampingly secured therein by said knife-blocks, and means detachably securing said blocks in place in said openings to said casing and permitting removal of said knife-blocks out of said openings and from said casing whereby said screen can be readily removed and said cutting chamber will be rendered readily accessible to facilitate cleaning.

5. A cutting machine comprising a rotor, knives carried by the rotor intermediate of its ends, a casing surrounding said rotor knives, bearings at opposite ends of saidcasing supporting said rotor, a base, said casing being mounted upon said base in partially overhanging relationship with respect to one end thereof, the said casing comprising a lower half casing section and a cover half section providing a cutting chamber about said rotor knives, knife blocks mounted in deep openings formed in the upper part of opposite side walls of said lower half casing section, stationary knives aflixed to said blocks extending into said cutting chamber to coact with said rotor knives, dowels accurately locating said blocks and their associated knives with respect to said rotor. a curved bottom screen may leak from the end bearings can pass and be thrown exteriorly of the machine upon impingement with said rotary closure rings.

8. In a rotary cutting or granulating machine of the class described, the combination of a rotary cutter, a casing thereabout, said casing being provided with openings therethrough extending lengthwise of said rotary cutter, knifeblocks in said openings, knives carried by said knife-blocks in cooperative relation to the knives of said rotary cutter, a curvedbottom screen in said casing and forming with the upper part of said casing a cutting chamber about and spaced from said rotary cutter, said screen being secured in place by said knife-blocks and yet being readily removable after removal of the knifeblocks from said casing, and means for releasably securing said knife-blocks in said openings to said casing and permitting removal of said knifeblocks with their knives out of said openings and from said casing without affecting the adjusted relations between said knives and said knifeblocks.'

9. In a rotary cutting or granulating machine of the class described, the combination of a rotary cutter, a casing thereabout, said casing being provided with openings therethrough extending lengthwise of said rotary cutter, knife-blocks in said openings, knives carried by said knife-blocks in cooperative relation with said rotary cutter, the inner bottom edge portions of said knifeblocks being longitudinally recessed along their entire length, a curved bottom screen in said casing and forming with the upper part of the casing a cutting chamber about and spaced from said and said knife-blocks.

10. In a rotary cutting or granulating machine of the class described, the combination of a rotary cutter, a casing thereabout, said casing being composed of separable upper and lower casing sections, said lower casing section being provided with deep cut out openings at opposite sides and terminating at the parting-line of the casing, said openings extending lengthwise of said rotary cutter, knife-blocks in said openings, knives carried by said knife-blocks in cooperative relation to said rotary cutter, the inner bottom edge Dortions of said knife-blocks being longitudinally recessed along their entire length, ledge members on the end walls of said lower casing, an arcuate bottom screen in said casing, said screen resting on and supported at its arcuate side edge portions by said ledge members and forming with the upper casing section a cutting chamber about and spaced from said rotary cutter, said screen having its ends disposed in said recesses in said knife-blocks and being clampingly secured to said casing by said knife-blocks, said screen being readily removable after removal of the knifeblocks from the casing, andmeans for releasably securing said knife-blocks in said openings to said casing and permitting removal of said knifeblocks with their knives out of said openings and from the casing without affecting the adjusted relations between said knives and said knifeblocks;

11. A cutting or granulating machine comprising a base, a table on said base overhanging one end thereof, a casing mounted on the table along the said overhanging portion thereof, a rotary cutter in said casing having its axis extending parallel with said table from beyond the outer end of the said overhanging portion to overlie a part of the base, end bearings at the opposite end portions of said rotary cutter rotatably supporting the rotary cutter in said casing, stationary knives within said casing in cooperative relation with said rotary cutter, and chute means in,

said overhanging portion of said table communieating with said casing and constructed and arranged for discharging and deflecting the processed material outside the end of the said base where the table overhangs.

12; A cutting or granulating machine comprising a base, a table on said base having a portion overhanging one end of said base, a casing mounted on said table along the overhanging portion thereof, a rotary cutter in said casing having its axis extending parallel with said table from the beyond the outer end of said overhanging portion to overlie a part of the base, end bearings rotatably supportin said rotary cutter and located at the opposite end portions thereof, and stationary knives within said casing in cooperative relation with said rotary cutter, the lower part of the casing below the rotary cutter being shaped to provide a converging passage with outlet for the processed material, and the overhanging portion of the table having a passage with its inlet opening in register with the outlet of said casing and with its discharge outlet outside the end of the base where the table overhangs, the, wall of the table passage adjacent the said end of the base being inclined for deflecting the processed material beyond the said end of the base. FRED M. RODDY. 

